TNAG-0328-FCO40-364-Activities-of-New-Left-groups-amongst-students-and-youth-of--1973 — Page 57

CONFIDENTIAL

any connection with "new left" groups although

a number of representative student bodies

such as the Federation of Students have

sometimes participated in "new left" acti-

vities. However, the great majority of their

members are politically dormant. Two small

groups form the hard core of the "new left"

the 70's Bi-weekly and the Choong Kin- Experimental College (few of whose members

are full-time students). The various groups

are diverse and have no agreed aims but are

all involved in protest against the existing

Hong Kong establishment. Their approach is

pragmatic, concentrating on specific prac-

tical issues.

Motivation

The reasons for increasing political awareness

among the young would seems to be founded

basically in the relatively increasing

affluence in Hong Kong. The spectacular

growth in the Colony's economy brought full

employment and rising standards of living.

As in other countries, and no doubt affected

by television, people's expectations rese

disproportionately. With it Young people

became readier to take a critical interest

in social and political problems. This

trend is likely to become accentuated.

Linked with growing affluence there has been

2

CONFIDENTIAL

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